The 25 min ferry trips are very exciting. There are bubbles everywhere. Also, instead of relaxing and taking in the views I got to spend my time wiping french onion dip off everything and anything my little apprentice (AKA "MLA") came into contact with. Bad choice for morning tea!
MLA's love going on long walks and even insist on helping by carrying their own waterbottles. However, they do prefer to render this help whilst being carried and cuddled. While lovely, it doesn't do much to lighten the load.
On walks with MLA's you learn to appreciate the little things - climbing steps is important and exciting business. Offer help at your peril! But rely on the fact it will requested just as you're starting to run out of puff. Each step also holds many interesting specimens and MLA's appreciate genuine interest in each of them. Yes - each of them. Soon little pockets are overflowing with stones, flowers and leaves and suddenly your own are being invaded too. Stones turn into "blankies" for water bottles and little imaginative worlds spring up. If only they could be photographed!
MLA's get confused easily. You tell them excitedly that there are dolphins below and they shout "Durtle!" After having this occur repeatedly you may give in and admit the possibility of seeing a turtle at some stage. Upon spotting a "durtle" today I excitedly pointed it out to my MLA who responded with appropriate excitement "Ooooooh.... more, more! STONES!!!!! More stones!!!"
Once an interesting marine creature is spotted it's impossible to go anywhere near the edge of the cliff in order to capture it well. MLA's seem to take their stone gathering and exploring responsibilities very seriously and are keen to follow any dropped stones to their watery ends. On such excursions MLA's should always be dressed in overalls - the straps over the shoulders are perfect for hauling them away from precipices.
Another interesting challenge on a photographic trip with an MLA is choosing which lens to mount on your camera. Once selected there can be no change. MLA's are determine to find out exactly what sort of sound your cracking mirror will make as they throw small stones into your lens-less camera body. I suspect my particular MLA also has a high interest in gravity and would like to see how quickly one of my lenses could race down a cliff face into the Pacific. The only landscapes I could shoot on the trip were dodgy ones taken with my telephoto lens. At least the camera lives to see another day.
Bus trips with MLA's are awesome. They snuggle in and (if you're lucky) take a nap. Today I was lucky twice. Enough reward to even consider taking her again sometime :)
MLA's get confused easily. You tell them excitedly that there are dolphins below and they shout "Durtle!" After having this occur repeatedly you may give in and admit the possibility of seeing a turtle at some stage. Upon spotting a "durtle" today I excitedly pointed it out to my MLA who responded with appropriate excitement "Ooooooh.... more, more! STONES!!!!! More stones!!!"
Once an interesting marine creature is spotted it's impossible to go anywhere near the edge of the cliff in order to capture it well. MLA's seem to take their stone gathering and exploring responsibilities very seriously and are keen to follow any dropped stones to their watery ends. On such excursions MLA's should always be dressed in overalls - the straps over the shoulders are perfect for hauling them away from precipices.
Another interesting challenge on a photographic trip with an MLA is choosing which lens to mount on your camera. Once selected there can be no change. MLA's are determine to find out exactly what sort of sound your cracking mirror will make as they throw small stones into your lens-less camera body. I suspect my particular MLA also has a high interest in gravity and would like to see how quickly one of my lenses could race down a cliff face into the Pacific. The only landscapes I could shoot on the trip were dodgy ones taken with my telephoto lens. At least the camera lives to see another day.
Bus trips with MLA's are awesome. They snuggle in and (if you're lucky) take a nap. Today I was lucky twice. Enough reward to even consider taking her again sometime :)
1 comment:
I am looking forward to my first MLA experience. Till then keep telling yours!
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